August 19, 2022 Coats Museum News
A name that the Coats Museum researchers heard over and over was Blaney Godwin. He was a preacher, a builder and a town political leader. However, in 1990, it was his widow, Sarah Godwin, who was in the news. She had celebrated her 92nd birthday. Mrs. Godwin was the widow of Elder Blaney Godwin of Coats. She had two daughters who lived in Coats-Helen Carroll and Mozelle Strickland. Who knows the names of their other daughters?
I do know that Coats is the home of Alton Stewart who is recognized as the first licensed pilot in N.C. However, many Coats folks do not know that Elder Blaney Godwin had helped remove the bodies of Alton Stewart, Blalock and Stephenson from the deadly plane crash in Dunn, N.C. on Christmas day in 1929.
Can any of you recall someone who has died while on a tour group or while on vacation? Let’s name a few from Coats who either died or became ill when out of town. W.E. Nichols, one of the most generous and prosperous Coats businessmen and public servants, had died while out of the country. Curtis Guy, a prominent banker and political figure, was stricken in Florida while on vacation. In October of 1990, J.A. Langdon had a heart attack while on a four-day trip to Kentucky with the Coats Tour Group. He was hospitalized in Knoxville (Daily Record Oct. 18, 1990).
Many titles have been awarded to young ladies over the years in the town of Coats-Miss Tractor Rodeo, Miss Coats High, Miss Junior Order and, in October of 1990, the title of Miss Coats Autumn Days. Another title that is very noteworthy is being a recipient of a nomination for the Morehead Scholarship to UNC Chapel Hill. Our own Jane Tyndall, 17, of Coats was one of the seven students who competed for the Morehead Scholarship completion in Harnett County. Jane was a Beta Club and Close-Up member. She had played basketball and softball for Triton High School (Daily Record Oct. 24, 1990). Winner or loser of the scholarship did not always define the success of the student. Jane Tyndall had grit and she became a doctor of pharmacy as did several of her 1991 classmates from Triton High School.
Another surname that has two spellings is Cooke-Cook. We have some of both in Coats. Death took a Cooke in October of 1990.Mr. Melvin Cooke, 88, of Coats, had died on Tuesday. Surviving him were a son, Rayvon Cooke of Cary, and two daughters-Lola Cooke Zimmerman and Doris C. Thompson. A stepson was Allen Barefoot. His services were held at the Coats Baptist Church with burial in the Coats City Cemetery.
Happy news was spreading throughout Coats. Forrest Fleming and Janet Fleming were parents of a daughter-Carol Fleming (Daily Record Oct. 25, 1990). Many of you will recognize that Forrest is the son of Bland and Joy Dan Clayton Fleming and the grandson of the beloved Dr. Fleming who had died in his office before he could celebrate his 50th birthday. Carol was able to grow up in sight of her grandparents’ beautiful white mansion on the hill adjacent to the Coats City Cemetery.
Many Coats folks are aware that the Coats Recreation Park is on land that was donated to the town by Gerald Langdon. To get to the park one has to go through the Hunter’s Run housing development. This land was likely owned by Grover Cleveland Langdon and deeded to his son Gerald. Grover C. Langdon had died in Four Oaks. The former Coats resident had three survivors in Coats-Woodrow, Sherwood, and Gerald Langdon. He also was father to Rosa Langdon Rambeau and Iris Langdon Barnes of Coats. Were there other children of Cleve and Kitty Stephenson Langdon?
Sandra Kay Howard is known by many names and titles. Some call her Sandy; others call her Kay, while others call her Sandy Kay. She has had the title of teacher and principal. She has served in various honors in NCAE, ADK Gamma Pi, Coats Kiwanis Club and Coats Museum. In 1990, she was a first grade teacher at Coats Elementary School where her students received letters from Staff Sgt. Lee Johnson who was stationed in Saudi Arabia. Johnson’s daughter, Julie Johnson, was a classmate.
Elsewhere, Mr. And Mrs. Larry Byrd of Coats announced the engagement of their daughter, Sandra Leanne Byrd, to Ronald Allen of Four Oaks (Daily Record Nov. 1, 1990).
A certificate of appreciation was presented to Juanita Hudson in recognition of her support to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the first Recognition Banquet held at the McKinnon Center in Raleigh. Another Coats person was recognized as the victor in the District #3 HCBOE election. Craig Matthews had defeated his opponent Earl Hall by a 70-30 margin (Daily Record Nov. 7, 1990).
Vickie Johnson (Mrs. James Johnson) received a very special award from NC State University School of Humanities and Social Science. The award was the Distinguished Award for 1990 (Daily Record Nov. 7, 1990).
I think most of you will have to agree that coming from a small town does not have to limit what one can do if the best effort is put forth. As I have shared the story of Coats from the time when there were only about 500 citizens to now more than five times over that, I have been so impressed of the success stories of so many from this small Harnett County town.
Some of the early citizens shared - “I would have done anything not to have to walk behind a mule all day; pick another boll of cotton or prime another leaf of tobacco.” In reality, success is spelled by grit and/or an education. Many in Coats look advantage of the work culture learned in a rural community, by military service and/or education opportunities. This statement can be verified by flipping through the numerous notebooks in our Coats Museum Research Library which are filled with info on successful folks from Coats.
Marc and Jean Powell will be glad to show you the notebooks on Sunday while they volunteer.
A name that the Coats Museum researchers heard over and over was Blaney Godwin. He was a preacher, a builder and a town political leader. However, in 1990, it was his widow, Sarah Godwin, who was in the news. She had celebrated her 92nd birthday. Mrs. Godwin was the widow of Elder Blaney Godwin of Coats. She had two daughters who lived in Coats-Helen Carroll and Mozelle Strickland. Who knows the names of their other daughters?
I do know that Coats is the home of Alton Stewart who is recognized as the first licensed pilot in N.C. However, many Coats folks do not know that Elder Blaney Godwin had helped remove the bodies of Alton Stewart, Blalock and Stephenson from the deadly plane crash in Dunn, N.C. on Christmas day in 1929.
Can any of you recall someone who has died while on a tour group or while on vacation? Let’s name a few from Coats who either died or became ill when out of town. W.E. Nichols, one of the most generous and prosperous Coats businessmen and public servants, had died while out of the country. Curtis Guy, a prominent banker and political figure, was stricken in Florida while on vacation. In October of 1990, J.A. Langdon had a heart attack while on a four-day trip to Kentucky with the Coats Tour Group. He was hospitalized in Knoxville (Daily Record Oct. 18, 1990).
Many titles have been awarded to young ladies over the years in the town of Coats-Miss Tractor Rodeo, Miss Coats High, Miss Junior Order and, in October of 1990, the title of Miss Coats Autumn Days. Another title that is very noteworthy is being a recipient of a nomination for the Morehead Scholarship to UNC Chapel Hill. Our own Jane Tyndall, 17, of Coats was one of the seven students who competed for the Morehead Scholarship completion in Harnett County. Jane was a Beta Club and Close-Up member. She had played basketball and softball for Triton High School (Daily Record Oct. 24, 1990). Winner or loser of the scholarship did not always define the success of the student. Jane Tyndall had grit and she became a doctor of pharmacy as did several of her 1991 classmates from Triton High School.
Another surname that has two spellings is Cooke-Cook. We have some of both in Coats. Death took a Cooke in October of 1990.Mr. Melvin Cooke, 88, of Coats, had died on Tuesday. Surviving him were a son, Rayvon Cooke of Cary, and two daughters-Lola Cooke Zimmerman and Doris C. Thompson. A stepson was Allen Barefoot. His services were held at the Coats Baptist Church with burial in the Coats City Cemetery.
Happy news was spreading throughout Coats. Forrest Fleming and Janet Fleming were parents of a daughter-Carol Fleming (Daily Record Oct. 25, 1990). Many of you will recognize that Forrest is the son of Bland and Joy Dan Clayton Fleming and the grandson of the beloved Dr. Fleming who had died in his office before he could celebrate his 50th birthday. Carol was able to grow up in sight of her grandparents’ beautiful white mansion on the hill adjacent to the Coats City Cemetery.
Many Coats folks are aware that the Coats Recreation Park is on land that was donated to the town by Gerald Langdon. To get to the park one has to go through the Hunter’s Run housing development. This land was likely owned by Grover Cleveland Langdon and deeded to his son Gerald. Grover C. Langdon had died in Four Oaks. The former Coats resident had three survivors in Coats-Woodrow, Sherwood, and Gerald Langdon. He also was father to Rosa Langdon Rambeau and Iris Langdon Barnes of Coats. Were there other children of Cleve and Kitty Stephenson Langdon?
Sandra Kay Howard is known by many names and titles. Some call her Sandy; others call her Kay, while others call her Sandy Kay. She has had the title of teacher and principal. She has served in various honors in NCAE, ADK Gamma Pi, Coats Kiwanis Club and Coats Museum. In 1990, she was a first grade teacher at Coats Elementary School where her students received letters from Staff Sgt. Lee Johnson who was stationed in Saudi Arabia. Johnson’s daughter, Julie Johnson, was a classmate.
Elsewhere, Mr. And Mrs. Larry Byrd of Coats announced the engagement of their daughter, Sandra Leanne Byrd, to Ronald Allen of Four Oaks (Daily Record Nov. 1, 1990).
A certificate of appreciation was presented to Juanita Hudson in recognition of her support to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the first Recognition Banquet held at the McKinnon Center in Raleigh. Another Coats person was recognized as the victor in the District #3 HCBOE election. Craig Matthews had defeated his opponent Earl Hall by a 70-30 margin (Daily Record Nov. 7, 1990).
Vickie Johnson (Mrs. James Johnson) received a very special award from NC State University School of Humanities and Social Science. The award was the Distinguished Award for 1990 (Daily Record Nov. 7, 1990).
I think most of you will have to agree that coming from a small town does not have to limit what one can do if the best effort is put forth. As I have shared the story of Coats from the time when there were only about 500 citizens to now more than five times over that, I have been so impressed of the success stories of so many from this small Harnett County town.
Some of the early citizens shared - “I would have done anything not to have to walk behind a mule all day; pick another boll of cotton or prime another leaf of tobacco.” In reality, success is spelled by grit and/or an education. Many in Coats look advantage of the work culture learned in a rural community, by military service and/or education opportunities. This statement can be verified by flipping through the numerous notebooks in our Coats Museum Research Library which are filled with info on successful folks from Coats.
Marc and Jean Powell will be glad to show you the notebooks on Sunday while they volunteer.